From: Meet Soni <meetsoni3017@gmail•com>
To: git@vger•kernel.org
Cc: ps@pks•im, shejialuo@gmail•com, karthik.188@gmail•com,
Meet Soni <meetsoni3017@gmail•com>
Subject: [GSoC][RFC PATCH 0/2] Add refs list subcommand
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:19:32 +0530 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20250627074934.1761897-1-meetsoni3017@gmail.com> (raw)
This patch series introduces `git refs list` as a modern replacement for
`git for-each-ref`, as part of an effort to consolidate ref-related
functionality under a unified `git refs` command.
Git's ref-related operations are currently handled by several distinct
commands, such as `git show-ref`, `git for-each-ref`, `git update-ref`,
`git pack-refs`, etc. This distribution has a few practical drawbacks:
- Users need to rely on multiple commands for related tasks involving
refs.
- The commands may differ slightly in behavior and option syntax,
leading to inconsistency.
We propose a long-term consolidation effort to bring ref-related
subcommands under the umbrella of a single command: `git refs`.
The implementation of `git refs list` is functionally identical to `git
for-each-ref`. It reuses the same internal logic (cmd_for_each_ref) to
ensure complete backward compatibility. The purpose of this patch is not
to introduce new behavior but to provide an alternate entry point under
the consolidated `git refs` namespace.
The motivation behind this change is twofold:
- Consolidation: Centralizing ref-related operations makes them easier
to discover, use, and maintain.
- Evolution: While the initial goal is parity with existing commands,
this consolidation allows for careful reconsideration of which
features are essential. Over time, we can:
- Remove legacy or obscure options that are no longer needed.
- Add improvements that wouldn't make sense to bolt onto legacy
commands.
- Offering a more consistent and user-friendly surface.
To verify backward compatibility, this patch also includes a test
`t/t1461-refs-list.sh`, which runs the full `t6300-for-each-ref.sh` test
using `git refs list`. The test uses ${GIT_REFS_LIST_CMD:-for-each-ref}
to allow substitution without duplicating tests.
This patch is deliberately conservative: it introduces no behavioral
changes and leaves `for-each-ref` untouched. The goal is to lay
groundwork and demonstrate viability of ref consolidation within `git
refs`.
Going forward, I'd like to initiate a discussion on what the ideal
surface of `git refs list` should look like. Which options and features
from `for-each-ref` should be carried over? Are there any that are
obsolete or overly niche? What improvements might be worth considering
now that we have a new, consolidated interface?
Feedback on this, especially from those who rely on `for-each-ref` in
scripts or tooling would be very helpful.
Meet Soni (2):
builtin/refs: add list subcommand
t: add test for git refs list subcommand
Documentation/git-refs.adoc | 95 ++++++++++
builtin/refs.c | 110 ++++++++++++
t/meson.build | 1 +
t/t1461-refs-list.sh | 8 +
t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh | 333 ++++++++++++++++++------------------
5 files changed, 384 insertions(+), 163 deletions(-)
create mode 100755 t/t1461-refs-list.sh
base-commit: cb3b40381e1d5ee32dde96521ad7cfd68eb308a6
--
2.34.1
next reply other threads:[~2025-06-27 7:49 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 68+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2025-06-27 7:49 Meet Soni [this message]
2025-06-27 7:49 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH 1/2] builtin/refs: add list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-06-27 16:27 ` Jean-Noël Avila
2025-06-27 18:13 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-06-30 4:28 ` Meet Soni
2025-06-29 11:05 ` [PATCH] doc:git-for-each-ref: fix styling and typos Jean-Noël Avila
2025-06-30 15:48 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-06-30 18:55 ` Jean-Noël AVILA
2025-06-27 7:49 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH 2/2] t: add test for git refs list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-06-27 18:03 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH 0/2] Add " Junio C Hamano
2025-06-28 8:05 ` shejialuo
2025-06-30 14:05 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-06 12:58 ` shejialuo
2025-06-30 3:53 ` Meet Soni
2025-06-30 20:10 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-09 13:36 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-17 7:50 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v2 " Meet Soni
2025-07-17 7:50 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v2 1/2] builtin/refs: add " Meet Soni
2025-07-17 16:48 ` Eric Sunshine
2025-07-23 5:01 ` Meet Soni
2025-07-17 7:50 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v2 2/2] t: add test for git refs " Meet Soni
2025-07-17 21:01 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-23 5:17 ` Meet Soni
2025-07-23 15:03 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-23 6:43 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v3 0/3] Add " Meet Soni
2025-07-23 6:43 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v3 1/3] builtin/refs: add " Meet Soni
2025-07-24 5:58 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-24 16:01 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-25 11:10 ` Meet Soni
2025-07-23 6:43 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v3 2/3] t6300: refactor tests to be shareable Meet Soni
2025-07-23 6:43 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v3 3/3] t: add test for git refs list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 0/5] Add " Meet Soni
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 1/5] doc: factor out common option Meet Soni
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 2/5] builtin/for-each-ref: factor out core logic into a helper Meet Soni
2025-08-01 5:54 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-04 6:34 ` Meet Soni
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 3/5] builtin/refs: add list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-01 13:27 ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-01 14:43 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-01 15:49 ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-01 17:14 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-04 9:28 ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-04 6:32 ` Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:27 ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-04 15:35 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 4/5] t6300: refactor tests to be shareable Meet Soni
2025-07-31 9:00 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 5/5] t: add test for git refs list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-01 5:54 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v4 0/5] Add " Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 0/6] " Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 1/6] doc: factor out common option Meet Soni
2025-08-04 18:34 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 2/6] builtin/for-each-ref: align usage string with the man page Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 3/6] builtin/for-each-ref: factor out core logic into a helper Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 4/6] builtin/refs: add list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 5/6] t6300: refactor tests to be shareable Meet Soni
2025-08-04 9:22 ` [GSoC][RFC PATCH v5 6/6] t: add test for git refs list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 0/6] Add " Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 1/6] doc: factor out common option Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 2/6] builtin/for-each-ref: align usage string with the man page Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 3/6] builtin/for-each-ref: factor out core logic into a helper Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 4/6] builtin/refs: add list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 5/6] t6300: refactor tests to be shareable Meet Soni
2025-08-05 9:27 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 6/6] t: add test for git refs list subcommand Meet Soni
2025-08-05 13:07 ` [GSoC][PATCH v6 0/6] Add " Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-05 16:12 ` Junio C Hamano
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2025-06-14 7:05 [GSoC][RFC PATCH 0/2] " Meet Soni
2025-06-14 23:45 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-06-17 11:51 ` Meet Soni
Reply instructions:
You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:
* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
and reply-to-all from there: mbox
Avoid top-posting and favor interleaved quoting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Interleaved_style
* Reply using the --to, --cc, and --in-reply-to
switches of git-send-email(1):
git send-email \
--in-reply-to=20250627074934.1761897-1-meetsoni3017@gmail.com \
--to=meetsoni3017@gmail$(echo .)com \
--cc=git@vger$(echo .)kernel.org \
--cc=karthik.188@gmail$(echo .)com \
--cc=ps@pks$(echo .)im \
--cc=shejialuo@gmail$(echo .)com \
/path/to/YOUR_REPLY
https://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-send-email.html
Be sure your reply has a Subject: header at the top and a blank line
before the message body.
This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox